Systems and methods for manufacturing foam parts

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to molded cellular foam parts and, more specifically, to methods of manufacturing cellular polyurethane foam parts. In an embodiment, a polymer production system includes an energy source configured to provide activation energy to a foam formulation to produce a foam part. The system further includes a polymeric mold configured to contain the foam formulation within a mold cavity during the manufacture of the foam part. Furthermore, the mold is configured to not substantially interact with the activation energy that traverses the mold during the manufacture of the foam part. The system also includes a semi-permanent surface coating disposed on a surface of the mold cavity that is configured to facilitate release of the foam part from the mold cavity.

1 . A polymer production system, comprising:
 an energy source configured to provide an activation energy to a foam formulation to produce a foam part;   a polymeric mold configured to contain the foam formulation within a mold cavity during the manufacture of the foam part, wherein the polymeric mold is configured to not substantially interact with the activation energy that traverses the polymeric mold during the manufacture of the foam part; and   a semi-permanent surface coating disposed on a surface of the mold cavity, wherein the semi-permanent polymer coating is configured to facilitate release of the foam part from the mold cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source comprises an induction energy source, a microwave energy source, and infrared (IR) energy source, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is configured to heat the foam formulation to between approximately 70° F. and approximately 100° F. to provide the activation energy to the foam formulation. 
     
     
         4 . The polymer production system of  claim 3 , wherein the energy source is configured to heat the foam formulation in a non-uniform fashion during the production of the foam part. 
     
     
         5 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the foam formulation comprises one or more metal activators configured to receive the activation energy provided by the energy source to heat the foam formulation. 
     
     
         6 . The polymer production system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more metal activators are configured to receive the activation energy in the form of induction, microwave radiation, or IR radiation and convert the activation energy into heat within the foam formulation. 
     
     
         7 . The polymer production system of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more metal activators comprise one or more metal particles comprising bismuth, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, iron, steel, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The polymer production system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more metal particles comprise metal flakes, metal-coated ceramic beads, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The polymer production system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more metal activators comprise one or more metal particles from recycled metal sources. 
     
     
         10 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric mold comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polysulphone, or any combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The polymer production system of  claim 10 , wherein the polymeric mold comprises expanded high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, expanded polypropylene, expanded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or any combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the semi-permanent surface coating comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the semi-permanent surface coating has a non-uniform thickness over the mold cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the foam part comprises a polyurethane foam part. 
     
     
         15 . The polymer production system of  claim 1 , wherein the foam part comprises a polyurethane foam part having a polymer substrate layer. 
     
     
         16 . The polymer production system of  claim 15 , wherein the polymer substrate layer comprises expanded polyethylene, expanded polystyrene, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A mold comprising:
 a base material comprising one or more polymeric materials substantially transparent to one or more of induction heating, microwave heating, or infrared (IR) heating supplied from outside the mold to activate a foam formulation contained within the mold during production of a molded foam part; and   a surface coating disposed on a surface of the base material, wherein the surface coating is configured to facilitate the release of the molded foam part from the mold.   
     
     
         18 . The mold of  claim 17 , wherein the base material comprises expanded high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, expanded polypropylene, polysulfone, expanded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or any combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The mold of  claim 17 , wherein the surface coating is configured to be substantially transparent to one or more of induction heating, microwave heating, or infrared (IR) heating supplied from outside the mold to activate a foam formulation contained within the mold during production of a molded foam part. 
     
     
         20 . The mold of  claim 17 , wherein the surface coating comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a silicon dioxide layer, a titanium dioxide layer, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The mold of  claim 17 , wherein the surface coating comprises two or more thicknesses, and wherein the two or more thicknesses are configured to provide two or more corresponding release temperatures for the molded foam part. 
     
     
         22 . The mold of  claim 17 , wherein the molded foam part comprises a polyurethane molded foam part having a expanded polyethylene or expanded polystyrene substrate layer. 
     
     
         23 . The mold of  claim 17 , wherein the foam formulation comprises one or more metal particles configured to be activated by one or more of induction heating, microwave heating, or infrared (IR) heating during production of the molded foam part. 
     
     
         24 . The mold of  claim 23 , wherein the metal particles comprise metal flakes or metal-coated particles comprising one or more of bismuth, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, iron, or steel. 
     
     
         25 . A formulation for manufacturing a polyurethane foam part, comprising:
 a polyol precursor formulation;   an isocyanate precursor; and   an activator comprising one or more metallic particles configured to respond to one more of induction, microwave irradiation, or infrared (IR) irradiation to activate one or more chemical reactions between at least the polyol precursor formulation and the isocyanate precursor while manufacturing the polyurethane foam part.   
     
     
         26 . The formulation of  claim 25 , wherein the polyol precursor formulation comprises polyether polyol synthetic resin, an oil from a non-petroleum source, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The formulation of  claim 25 , wherein the isocyanate precursor comprises methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), a MDI prepolymer, toluene diisocyanate (TDI), a TDI prepolymer, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The formulation of  claim 25 , wherein the polyol precursor formulation comprises one or more blowing agents, cross-linkers, surfactants, cell openers, stabilizers, or co-polymers. 
     
     
         29 . The formulation of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more metallic particles range from approximately 10 μm to approximately 300 μm in size. 
     
     
         30 . The formulation of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more metallic particles comprise metallic flakes of bismuth, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, iron, steel, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The formulation of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more metallic particles comprise ceramic beads coated with bismuth, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, iron, steel, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The formulation of  claim 25 , wherein the formulation is configured to be used in conjunction with a composite mold cavity having a semi-permanent, surface-bound fluorinated polymer coating. 
     
     
         33 . A method of producing a foam part, comprising:
 disposing a foam formulation inside of a mold cavity of a polymeric mold, wherein the mold cavity has a shape and includes a fluorinated surface coating;   directly heating the foam formulation disposed inside of the mold cavity to form the foam part in the shape of the mold cavity without directly heating the mold; and   curing the foam part in the mold cavity for a cure time before removing the foam part from the mold cavity.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising disposing a substrate into the mold cavity, wherein the substrate is incorporated into the foam part. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the substrate comprises expanded polyethylene, expanded polystyrene, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein disposing the foam formulation comprises a closed-pour or injection of the foam formulation inside of the mold cavity. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the fluorinated surface coating comprises PTFE. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the fluorinated surface coating has at least two different thicknesses. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the foam formulation comprises one or more metal surfaces configured to facilitate one or more chemical reactions to form the foam part. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more metal surfaces comprise flakes of a metal or particles coated with the metal, and wherein the metal comprises one or more of bismuth, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, iron, or steel. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein directly heating the foam formulation comprises directly heating the foam formulation using induction heating, microwave heating, infrared (IR) heating, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein directly heating the foam formulation comprises directly heating the foam formulation in a non-uniform manner to produce the foam part, and wherein the foam part has more than one density. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein directly heating the foam formulation comprises directly heating the foam formulation to between approximately 70° F. and approximately 100° F. without directly heating the mold cavity. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the polymeric mold comprises expanded high-density polyethylene, tow-density polyethylene, expanded polypropylene, expanded acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polysulfone, or any combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         45 . A foam part produced according to the method of  claim 34 .